The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-26
MR.. BLAINE IN EUROPE.
RecoIIectIons of an American Travel
ier just Homo From Paris.
What mr.. Blaine Says of His Euro
pean Experiences
His Manner of Life and Intentions
for the Winter.

LEWISTON, Dec. PA special to Satur-
days Lewiston Journal says gentleman
probably Mr.. f. L. Dingleyl just returned
from Paris, who had good opportunities to
take the measure Of Mr.. Blaine's visit to
Europe, and to observe the impression which
that visit made on the American colonies in
London, Paris and elsewhere on the con-
tinent, said
| met Mr. Blaine in Paris a couple Of weeks
ago, and if ever saw man in the perfect
buoyancy of perfect health that man is Mr.
Blaine. His cheeks are rosy, his appetite
good, and his spirits those Of the most
abounding physical vigor. visited him at
his hotel, and in conversation he said;
'We lead a very quiet life here. am not
talking politics. nor rushing about in sight
seeing to the exclusion of comfort. | was
out to Versailles yesterday to see the cleo
tion Of the President of the French Repub-
lie. after a crisis phenomenal and particular
ly interesting to an American. have been
very kindly received by French statesmen.
and have had excellent opportunities to
study French politics. The more 1 study
legislative assemblies in the old world, the
more perceive that our American Congress
is the most dignifed and orderly of the law
making bodies on the globe.
Il think never felt better In my life. /
ascribe my vigorous health TO two causes. l
was born with good body, and l worked on
a Pennsylvania farm in my younger days.
Life on a farm in boyhood makes for vigor
of days in manhood. Secondly, have al
ways lived temperately. have eschewed
intoxicants and tobacco from my college
days on, and have never burned the candle
at both ends. | always choose plain dishes
at table. Pastry | never take. Thus | owe
my good health to plenty OF moderation and
good constitution to start with. My
in some respects it has taxed
my physical forces severely. There has al
most never been any respite until this jour
ney. Twenty Years OF Congress was writ
ten oD the heels of most exacting political
contest, and these were preceded by public
life that gave neither mind nor body a rest.
Hence you may imagine that am enjoying
this breathing spell"
Mr.. Blaine goes to Italy for the winter.
Your Maine sculptor, Simmons, has engaged
him a very comfortable suite of rooms in
Rome, to wich city he will devote the largest
part of the winter months. He will be ac-
corded an audience with the King OF Italy
and other notables.
heard a story In London which | think is
strictly correct. One evening Mr.. Blaine
was being entertained at dinner by distin-
guished Londoner, and the conversation
turned on the relations between Great Brit
ain and the United States. One Of the mems
bers of the British Parliament, who sat by
Mr.. Blaine, good-naturedly criticised Mr..
Blaine for the form of one Of his dispatches
to the English government when Blaine was
secretary of state. 1T seemed to me at the
time," said the English statesman, that you
were a little disc0urteOus to England when
you said in your despatch to Her Majesty's
government that The United States expects
such and such things of England. Mr..
Blaine turned to his critic with the utmost
and remarked: you forget,
my dear sir, that merely copied phrase OF
a despatch from Her Majesty's government
to the United States in the darkest period of
our civil war. The tables are now turned.
Then, when we were in trouble, England
expected my country to do such and such
things. Now, II you will pardon me. the
United States is in position to quote the
and send it back again."
Speaking Of Blaine In 1888, the gentleman
said l am not authorized to speak for Mr..
Blaine, but my conviction is that Mr.. Blaine
neither courts nor opposes in this matter.
He is not candidate, and more than that,
he could not accept a nomination IL he
thought any considerable number of Repub-
licans thought another man stronger. But |
believe that if the Republican party, In con-
vention, again declares with great unanimity
that he is the man for 'S8, that Mr. Blaine
will accept the nomination, though few know
at what sacrifice Of comfort and strength.
The last campaign was tremendous tax on
Mr.. Blaine's physical and nervous resources.
Had he not been giant both in body and
mind, he would have been broken down by
the incessant and exacting toll.
That autumn campaign OF 400 speeches,
covering the entire West and the Central
States, was the most remarkable political
ever made by any one man. And
do you remember that in this vast number of
speeches, Mr.. Blaine never made one slip,
never said one foolish word, never made
statement that his opponents could turn into
a boomerang. The boomerang was another's,
and the blunders were those that he was not
for.
Let me add my own opinion that If Mr.
Blaine is again the candidate, the campaign
will not be managed by town meetings.